Just wondering how much emphasis is placed on fitness at BRNC and generally in service? I love cracking out my phys and genuinely enjoy circuits, yet I'm told Naval fitness is generally quite poor (granted it was from squaddies and crabs). I'm aiming to join the Navy's boxing team yet was wondering if the phys is challenging enough? I understand that a lot of the time it is down to the motivation of the individual, but it's more a generalised question on how much, if at all, fitness is viewed and encouraged within training and in general service.

First, bear in mind the caveat that you'll have to do as you're told and the needs of the service always come first, then apply that caveat to the following:

Sport and phys is an integral part of life in the RN- and most particularly during new entry training. I don't know what branch you're going for but if you're at BRNC for a good length of time then you'll be able to do loads. At sea, if you'r eon an FF/DD or above then you ought to have a clubs embarked who will run circuits in the evenings and almost all ships have free weights or an exercise bike.

If you work in shore establishments then they've all got gyms and sports teams. As a junior officer though you're going to have to be bloody good to get time off to do boxing- particularly in the early years of your career when, if you're a warfairy or engineer, you're going to be at sea. Loggies to get shore drafts straight out of training but in general they are the only ones.

Don't misunderstand me, if you're good then they will make an exception- cf Pete Reed and the olympics, but it's a rare officer who plays representative RN sport outside of training in something where you have to do as much training as boxing. That's not saying that you won't be the exception, but bear in mind that you will have to be very good to get the time off to compete.

If you're going warfare then this is going to be particularly difficult, as ships don't have more than about 4 OOWs (and that's FF/DDs and above again) and you're not going to be massively popular with your oppos if they have to go threes about while you have a fortnight or whatever off to play sport.

That having been said, sport and phys are really pushed hard as a good thing- even most shore based project teams will have a squash ladder or something at the very least. At BRNC you will have more flexibility to get involved (although they didn't do boxing when I went through) and tbh, if you've got the drive and have a few lucky breaks then it is very much what you make of it. Good luck.